Flexible exhaust connection



FLEXIBLE EXHAUST coNNEcT'IoN Filed sept, 17, 1940 Patented' July 14, 1942 FLEXIBLE EXHAUST CONNECTION Joseph Paul Seamons, Hollywood,.and Aldnzo B.

Storey, Jr., Glendale, Calif., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Vega Aircraft Corporation, a corporation of California Application September 17, 1940, Serial No. 357,142

1 Claim.

This invention relates to flexible exhaust connections between an internal combustion engine and the exhaust line or tail'pip'e, vhaving special reference to the connection'of individual airplane engine cylinders to a common exhaust collector ring or manifold, especially where the engine is yieldingly mounted relative to the airplane. With the continual increase in engine sizes, especiallyin the case of radially mounted cylinders, ther exhaust manifold or collector ring has become an increasing problem necessitating the use ofA expansion joints therein to compensate for the expansion thereof at operating temperatures. The development of dynamic or flexible engine mountings which permit appreciable floating movement of the engine has added to'the difficulties with the exhaust collector ring. A desirable solution of the problem is to rigidly mount the collector ring on the rewall of the engine nacelle and connect the individual cylinders to the ring by means of exible joints which permit engine movements relative to the ring, providing for both angular movements and expansion or contraction.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to providean improved flexible` or universal joint that Will operate satisfactorily at the high exhaust temperatures encountered, and that Will permit both angular and axial movements within the joint, while maintaining a tight seal, making possible the .accommodation of high exhaust pressures incidental to the use of exhaust turbine superchargers, and being readily demountable should it be desiredto remove the engine or the individual cylinders thereof without disturbing other connections. l

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved flexible or' universal joint for the purpose described that can be disconnected the specification and the accompanying drawing.

' This invention in its preferred form is illustrated in the drawing and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawing:

Figure I is an elevation of a flexible joint embodying the features of this invention.

Figure II isa half section on the lines 1li-II of Figure I.

which telescopically engages in a spherical seg- Ament or ball I4.

'I'he ball Il is preferably made from a highly heat resistant grade of cast iron, as the operating temperatures at times approach a visible red heat. The ball I4 in turn is oscillatable in a spunhousing I5, forming in effect a Y universal or ball joint. The housingv I5 is necked down to form a circumferential channel IB and is then spun outwardly in a half circle to form a half bead I1, another and complementary half bead I8 being formed on the end of a sleeve I9 which telescopically engages in a second ball I4 hav'ing a spun housing 20 welded to the individual collector ring inlet Il previously mentioned.

The two half beads I1 and I8 have their abutting surfaces ground or otherwise finished to provide a gas tight joint without the use of a gasket, being held together by two semicircular clamps 2l secured by bolts 422, the clamps 2| being so formed as'to have a less radius in the curved portions. 23 thereof in orderto engage the half 'joints `remote Y from their matching surfaces. Bosses 2t for the bolts 2 2 may be struck from the material of the clamps or may be welded or otherwise secured thereto as may be desired; it being borne n n-mind that the illustrated form I was designed specificallyfor aircraft use where strength, is` a desirable. characteristic.

'Ihe novel ball joint of this invention provides for both lateral and longitudinal movements of `the'co1lector ring relative to the engine, the

arrangement being such that longitudinal movement of thetwo ball joints is limited in one direction by the neck or channel I6, and in the A other direction by the clamps 2|, the intermediate parts of thejoint floating between these limits. When 1t is vdesired to disconnect the joint, removal of the clamps 21 allows the half beadsll and Il to separate suiliciently to Vprovide ample clearance between the surfaces of the beads. `It-will also be noted thatl the arrangement of the ball joints is such that the ow of'exhaust gases from the engine to the collector ring'sets up an Ainjector effect at each ball joint which injector effect would tend to minimize the extreme temperature variations in the joints developed looseness therein.

The balls I4 and housings I5 and 20 may be exact duplicates to eliminate separate manufacturing operations, since the half bead I1 may vbe added to the housing I5 after it has been corded the full scope and spirit ofthe following claim.

We claim as our invention: A flexible exhaust conduit for connecting' an `outward leakage of exhaust gases in the event combustionengine mounted for movement relative to said exhaust pipe during operation of said engine, said exhaust conduit comprising a conduit member connected to saidlexhaust port and having a sleeve portion extending therefrom, a. ball member having abore therethrough enveloping and tting said sleeve portion, a joint' section having a socket portion formed to envelop and fit the outer surface of said ball member and a sleeve portion, a second ball member having a bore therethrough enveloping and fitting said sleeve portion of said joint section, a

exhaust pipe with an exhaust port of an internal vsecond joint section having a socket portion formed to envelop and t the outer surface of said second ball member and a sleeve portion connected to said lexhaust pipe, at least one of said ball members being slidable axially of said conduit relative to the sleeve portion enveloped by said one ball member, land at least one of said joint sections having a separable butt joint therein between its sleeve portion and its socket portion. -f

A JOSEPH PAUL SEAMONS.

ALONZO B. STOREY, JR. 

